India Declares August 23 as National Space Day to Celebrate Chandrayaan-3’s Historic Moon Landing

New Delhi: In a landmark decision, the Government of India has officially declared August 23 as National Space Day (NSpD) to commemorate the successful launch of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and the historic soft landing of the Vikram Lander on the Moon’s surface in 2023. With this achievement, India became the fourth nation to land on the Moon and the first to touch down near its south pole, marking a significant milestone in the country’s space exploration journey.

To honor this achievement and inspire future generations, the Department of Space has organized nationwide celebrations throughout August 2024, themed “Touching lives while touching the Moon: India’s Space Saga.” The initiative aims to engage and inspire the youth about space science and its applications, highlighting the transformative impact of space technology on various sectors, including agriculture.

In a special event marking National Space Day, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare hosted a conference focused on the pivotal role of space technology in advancing India’s agricultural sector. The conference, attended by key policymakers, scientists, industry leaders, and researchers, also saw the launch of the Krishi-Decision Support System (Krishi-DSS), a cutting-edge digital geo-spatial platform designed to revolutionize Indian agriculture.

Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Bhagirath Choudhary, launched Krishi-DSS in the presence of Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare. The platform offers comprehensive data, including satellite imagery, weather information, reservoir storage, groundwater levels, and soil health details, accessible from anywhere at any time.

Krishi-DSS is poised to be a game-changer for Indian agriculture, providing advanced modules for crop mapping, drought monitoring, crop weather watch, field parcel segmentation, and a unified soil information system. These features are expected to enhance precision agriculture, promote sustainable farming practices, and provide timely advisories to farmers, ultimately leading to improved crop yield and resilience against climate challenges.

“The launch of Krishi-DSS is a significant milestone in our journey towards modernizing Indian agriculture,” said Bhagirath Choudhary. “By integrating space technology with agriculture, we are empowering our farmers with the tools they need to achieve greater productivity and sustainability. This platform is a testament to our commitment to leveraging innovation for the betterment of our agricultural sector.”

The conference highlighted the immense potential of space technology to address the challenges of Indian agriculture, emphasizing the importance of public-private partnerships in accelerating the adoption of these technologies. It also underscored the need for user-friendly solutions and capacity-building programs to ensure that the benefits of space technology reach farmers at the grassroots level.

As part of the celebrations, various technical sessions and panel discussions showcased the current utilization of space technology in agriculture and explored potential future applications. Delegates from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, the Department of Space, ISRO centers, and various central and state agencies participated in the event.